Harambee Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba has blamed Kenya’s lack of cutting-edge in front of goal for the team’s difficult start to the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON)
Kenya’s hopes of progressing beyond the group stage suffered another major setback after a 1-0 loss to Senegal’s Lionesses of Teranga in their second Group A match, which left them rooted at the foot of the standings without a point.
Despite producing a vastly improved performance from their opening 4-0 defeat to hosts Morocco, the Starlets were once again left to rue their profligacy in front of goal. Odemba’s charges dominated large spells of the contest and carved out numerous opportunities but failed to capitalize, with Terry Engesha striking the crossbar twice while Euphraiser Shilwatso also hit the woodwork as Senegal escaped with all three points.
The solitary goal came after Kenya failed to deal with a first-half situation, allowing Senegal to punish the lapse and ultimately claim a victory that moved them closer to the knockout stages. Speaking after the match, Odemba admitted her side’s inability to convert chances has become a worrying trend, insisting the Starlets must sharpen their finishing ahead of their final group fixture.
“We created a lot of chances today, but we didn’t convert them. We made a mistake in the first half, and they converted it. Even in the first match, we had two chances but didn’t take them. We should have done better to deal with the situation that led to the goal we conceded.”The Harambee Starlets coach believes improving their efficiency in front of goal will be the team’s main focus before facing Algeria.”Our main issue is chance conversion, and heading into the last group match, we will focus on that and try to get maximum points. As a coach, I am disappointed because we have not been able to score despite the chances we have created. Hopefully we can convert them against Algeria.”
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The Starlets registered 22 attempts on goal but failed to find a breakthrough, highlighting the attacking inefficiency that has haunted them throughout the tournament.Having failed to score in back-to-back matches while conceding five goals, Kenya’s campaign now hangs by a thread. The defeat also extended the Starlets’ wait for a first-ever victory at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.Odemba’s side will now turn their attention to Monday’s final Group A encounter against Algeria’s Les Vertes, knowing only a vastly improved display in front of goal will give them a realistic chance of ending their winless run at the continental tournament and signing off the competition on a positive note.